Destiny's Games: The Sorcerer's Stone
by Draconis Argenteum
Summary: From the Golden Trio, to the Hogwarts Four. Destiny is changing, and danger... there's never been more. From the shadows shall arrive a warrior anew. Shall she defeat the darkness, or will all end in rue?
1. The Guardians

**IMPORTANT**: This story is rated M for a reason. These reasons will be revealed in later chapters. However, note that you have been warned. If a chapter has content that I think some readers might find disagreeable, I will give a warning in the Author's note of the chapter. So, this means that the Author's notes are important and read them.

Disclaimer: None of the stuff in here that is someone else's belongs to me. You can't sue me becasue I'm broke.

Note: This story is in for a long journey, and it's gonna take me a long while. Coupled with my other responsibilities, my updates will be sparse. I will endeavour, however, to do as much as I can. Enjoy.

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**Destiny's Games  
**The Sorcerer's Stone

**The Guardians- Prologue**

The leaders of the world gathered in a room far removed from prying eyes. All petty differences between powers were forgotten and the fate of the world decided by those most worthy of it. The dim lighting of the room was such that none could see the other's face. Each knew the other, yet the air of secrecy was retained.

"Shall we get to the point then? There are reasons why this body does not meet often."

"Yes we shall." This voice was the voice of one of the most influential members of the body. "I am the one who called this gathering because doubtless you all know of our growing concerns with the dark wizard Voldemort. His return has arrived, not now, but soon and… I am tired."

The mood of silence in the room changed. This member was to be the fulcrum of their resistance. She could not afford to be tired.

"I am aware of the threat this poses, believe me. The stress that has become a routine part of my life must be reduced. I cannot fully carry the weight of the American government and be ready for Voldemort's return. I have formulated a plan. This plan, however, requires my disappearance from the political scene. It shall be said that I am acting more conventionally as Vice President, such as minding state affairs from afar. In reality, I will appoint someone with my abilities to run my position in my place. Since I will be out of the spotlight, I will only have to make random appearances to keep the public faith. My temporary replacement will carry on with what would be doing if I were still in America.

"During this time I plan to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I shall have my rest until the reemergence of Voldemort, and then I will be in the perfect position to oppose him. I plan to befriend the boy of the Prophecy."

"Are there any flaws in this plan?" a voice asked from the shadows.

"There always are, but they have been kept to a minimum," she replied.

A new voice spoke. "Are there any who object to this plan or do not trust the initiator?"

Silence reigned.

"This session of the Guardians is dismissed."

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A/N: Please don't be a silent reader. Review, even if I'm on a different chapter. Please, it helps when you know that you're getting a reaction from your work. 


	2. The Malfoy Heir

**A/N: **Hey. Yet another revision of the chapter. Nothing too bad in here. In fact, this could go PG (whatever that is on This chapter may seem a little far fetched, but give the storyline a chance. This **_not_** a mary sue. You just gotta give the story time.

Disclaimer: Same as always, if it's yours, thanks for letting me borrow it.

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**Destiny's Games  
**The Sorcerer's Stone

**The Malfoy Heir- Chapter One**

The scarlet engine of the Hogwarts Express waited on Platform nine-and-three-quarters; the students of Hogwarts milled around the magical platform, exchanging greetings with friends and teary goodbyes with mothers, fathers, and siblings not attending Hogwarts that year. One lone figure, however, stood in the midst of the others, not exchanging farewells or greetings; carrying a standard trunk and a cage containing a medium sized black owl. She quietly boarded the train for the first time.

As she walked by the compartments, she politely refused eye-contact with the other students. Her focus aimed on finding a specific person; she aimed to find the Malfoy heir before anyone else did. She scanned the occupants of each compartment as she made her way down the train, and around the middle of it, she spotted him.

She tapped politely on the glass door that separated them. He recognized her immediately, as had been told to expect to see her on his first day at Hogwarts.

Draco's grey eyes lit up when he saw one of the few people with whom his father permitted him to keep relations with; and even further, one of those few whom he actually liked

He walked towards her with a smile, opening the glass door to the compartment that he had claimed for himself.

"Sevti Sheikh, I haven't seen you in a while," he greeted. His smile was genuine. She could tell having known him since the age of five.

"I haven't changed much," Sevti responded, leaning against the door frame with a cool expression. Her American accent was highly noticeable.

"Yes," he said. "Same black muggle clothing, I still don't know how you manage to get away with that; brown eyes, little nose, and those appalling black spikes of hair. I honestly don't understand how you like them."

"And you, Draco Malfoy, still have the same slicked back blonde hair, grey eyes, and the most _adorable_ rosy cheeks," Sevti responded, striding into the compartment. The exchange was familiar between the two. They saw each other rarely, Sevti having lived in the Americas and India for most of the time they had known one another.

"I do _not_ have adorable cheeks," Draco huffed as he closed the door.

"Of course not Draco," Sevti placated sarcastically. She plopped down onto one of the seats.

"Sit down before I pull you down," she added gruffly.

Draco shook his head with a smirk.

"Ever the blushing female, I see. Chattering away, fluttering eyelashes, and giggling behind you hand," he said with quite a bit of sarcasm.

Sevti sighed dramatically, "You just seem to bring that side of me out Dray." She fluttered her eyelashes just to spite him.

Then she changed her expression to seriousness.

"Really, Draco, it's good to see you. You and I need to talk about a few things." She shrugged off her black leather jacket, getting comfortable so that she could get down to business.

He settled into the seat across from her. This was a discussion that he had been anticipating for a while. The Sheikhs and Malfoys were allies, and being two of the most powerful wizarding families in the world, they often went to the other for aid in certain matters.

Sevti glanced to the compartment door and sent a series of spells at it, pulling out her small ebony wand. She sent a sound proofing charm at the door and another charm that made the glass door opaque so that the people inside couldn't be seen. After a pause, she added a notice-me-not charm.

"Has you father started talking to you about the Dark Arts?" Sevti asked, tucking her wand back into the holster in attached to her forearm.

Draco seemed to think carefully before he answered. "Yes, and no," he replied. "Father said that I would be taught the Dark Arts by someone at Hogwarts, though he was very close-mouthed about it. I didn't want to push for answers."

Sevti smiled slightly at the blonde. "No doubt Lucius was very mysterious about it all. I wasn't sure exactly where I would be studying and I made that clear to him."

"So you have something to do with it?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. He wants _me_ to teach you."

Draco's eyes went impossibly wide. "You? But you aren't even of age. We're not allowed to do magic until we get to Hogwarts. And even then, we can't actually do magic unless we are in school," he said in a disbelieving voice.

Sevti smiled at the confused blonde. "Dray, I've got some explaining to do, and it may take a while."

The train gave off a final whistle, and Sevti felt it lurch into motion.

"Dray, I am the Vice President of the United States and an emancipated minor." Sevti said, waiting to see the expression on Draco's face when she put it so bluntly.

His eyes widened even more. Sevti had to resist the urge to laugh.

"What?" he spluttered. "How? When? Does father know? Bloody hell, the Vice President! Don't the Americans have an age restriction on that?"

Sevti smiled. "Yes, your father knows. Amjad apprised him of the situation."

"Amjad?" Draco interrupted.

"Amjad means grandfather, Dray. Ehsan Sheikh? The most powerful wizard in the Middle East, India, and Africa? Ring a bell?"

The Malfoy heir nodded. "All right then, go on."

"Your father wanted me to teach you the Dark Arts because I would be seeing more of you at school then he would during vacations… And as to when I became Vice President, a little less than two years ago. It'll take me a while to explain how though. I have to get some things out of the way first.

Sevti settled more comfortably into her seat.

"There are things going on, Dray, that I am not at liberty to tell you about. Situations are getting complicated. I know that I'm being vague, but I can't help it. I have given my word to your father that I will train you in the Dark Arts, but these lessons must be kept a complete secret. No one can know what I teach or, or even that I teach you."

"Obviously," Draco said.

"No, Dray. I mean that if anyone else knows of these lessons both my life and yours are forfeit. Only Amjad and your father know, and you must tell _no one_ else."

Draco frowned, "I don't know why it's so important, Sev, but I give you my word that no one will know of these lessons through me."

"Thank you Draco, but I must insist on an unbreakable vow," Sevti said softly.

Draco spluttered, "An unbreakable vow! Isn't that a bit much?"

Sevti shook her head softly. "I wish I could tell you exactly what hangs in the balance, but I can't. I ask for an unbreakable vow, Draco Salazar Malfoy," Sevti said, dropping to one knee.

Draco's gaze held hers for a moment; then he dropped to one knee as well.

She put her hand up and he put his palm flat against hers.

"I accept the unbreakable vow, Sevti Ehsan Sheikh."

"Do you, Draco Salazar Malfoy make an unbreakable vow to me, Sevti Ehsan Sheikh?"

"I do."

A circle of light bound their hands together, not letting either move away.

"Will you speak of your lessons and what is said and taught during them to no one but me, your teacher?"

"I will."

Another circle of light appeared.

"Will you be my student in the Dark Arts, having no other teacher unless I verbally approve?"

"I will."

Another circle of light bound their hands.

"Will you tell none information about me that is not public knowledge without my express permission?"

"I will."

Another bond of light circled their hands.

"I seal this unbreakable vow," Sevti said.

"I seal this unbreakable vow," Draco echoed.

The bonds of light faded away.

Sevti looked at the blonde.

"Thank you, Dray. Now, to answer your questions; remember, you can't repeat this to anyone."

The blonde nodded and motioned for her to go on.

"As an emancipated minor, I've been able to use magic as any other adult. Therefore, I learned to wield magic at a young age. Though I'm well versed in battle magic and everyday charms and such, my education is not as complete as I would like it to be. Now, as to your question of how I became the Vice President,

"As you probably know, the day after I was born, I disappeared out of the Sheikh ancestral home. No one knew where I had gone, and a search was sent out.

"Despite their best efforts, I wasn't found until 1996, five years after I had disappeared. I don't remember any of those years, but I've been told that I had been adopted into a family in the United States. At the time, I was more muggle than witch in behavior and upbringing. I was much like a muggleborn. Though I had been found, I was allowed to stay in the United States with a wizard that would take care of me. He was hand-picked by Amjad.

"Draco, you have to keep in mind that I am different. I can't tell you all of the details, but I've been in special ops for a time.

"I became the Vice President when President Smyth got it into his head that I would be perfect for the job. I met him on one of my missions, and he took a liking to me. Francis Parker, the Vice President, had recently died of a heart attack, and Smyth asked me to step up. The other candidate for the position wasn't to my liking, so I took the leap. I soon became the President's perfect weapon. A child is always underestimated. I don't really know how they all managed to get the public to put me in office, but the Constitution was amended. If you knew how rare that was, you would know that I am still shocked by the move. I still can't believe it actually happened.

"The public got over having such a young Vice President, eventually. And I also eventually got used to my post. The public and I were assured that should the President die, I would retain my post and the Speaker of the House would become the President. I was old enough to be Vice President, but not President. _That_ particular twist of logic is one that I _still_ cannot comprehend.

"Anyway, years later, at the age of twelve, I'm here. In the eyes of the public, I'm taking a more conventional stance as Vice President. After having one hell of a time in office, I'm doing what most Vice Presidents do: waiting for the President to die. But really, I'm here so that I can get in touch with the world that I am from, the world in which I truly belong.

"I want to really learn magic, to become a part of the culture that I was born into and then taken away from."

Sevti finished her long winded explanation with a sigh. She gave Draco a minute and then looked him in the eye.

"Do you find all of this believable, Dray?"

"Coming from anyone else? No. Coming from you? Yes." Draco let out a breath of air. "Bloody hell, Sev."

She was surprised when the usually reserved blonde got up from his seat and sat next to her. He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed for a brief moment.

"Sev, I've always looked at you like a sister. You've always been there for me when you could. I didn't know about any of this, but for what it's worth, I know now. And I want you to know that you can tell me anything."

She turned to him. "Dray, the fact that you are offering means a lot to me. And… I've always though of you as my little brother."

The blonde nodded.

Sevti laughed. "Look at you, Dray, acting so old when you're only twelve."

"We're both the same age, Sev. And I act no different than you. We both have more responsibilities than most of the morons on this train could comprehend, though you undoubtedly have more than I. Father has drilled my responsibilities into my head countless times. I am the Malfoy heir, one day I will be one of the most influential members of wizarding society. I have to be prepared to take on that responsibility."

Sevti looked at the blonde in a new light. He had grown from the little kid that she had first met so many years ago. He was becoming a man, albeit earlier than most, and she vowed then and there to help him make the right choices and to steer him away from the dark.

_Yes, she indeed was not dark. In fact, she was a spy for the light, one that was deeply entrenched in the dark and its followers, but an agent of the light all the same. She looked at the blonde and saw a boy that could grow into a good, honest, and honorable man were he to be lead in the right direction and be convinced to take the right paths. However, it would be tricky, and would add an additional risk to the already risky business that she was to undertake. She sighed. _

"I wish that life were simpler, Dray. But we both know that wishing is in vain. Before I leave, I want to ask you one thing, rather, two things."

The Malfoy heir nodded.

"Do you know of the current… _strain_ in my relationship with Ehsan Sheikh?"

The blonde nodded. "Who doesn't? I heard that you are on a short leash now. Nobody knows why, though. Father has been dying to find out, but those who know, keep their mouths shut."

Sevti's lip twitched upwards in a half smile. "Yes. Amjad would have made sure of that. But, the point of the matter is, my loyalty is in question. I just wanted to make sure you knew that."

"I knew before you met with me today. I know, however, that your loyalties are true. I've known you since we were both little." Sevti was touched by the blonde's resoluteness, however untrue his belief was. However, it would be a time until Sevti could tell Draco about her true loyalties.

"Well, Dray, as long as you know that my loyalties are in question, it leads to the second question, or rather request. One of the reasons why Amjad sent me here is to try and turn Harry Potter. In order to do that, I have to try to become the boy's friend. However, I can't do that when I have such obvious ties with families that are reputedly dark. Therefore, I have to ask you to act like you distrust me, that you hate me even, in public.

"I'll try to get into Gryffindor house so that it'll be easier, but I highly doubt that I will be sorted into that particular house. My family ties should completely take that action out of the equation.

"Try and make a bad impression with Potter as well. An enemy's enemy is a friend, if you get what I mean. Just act as if you _did _question my loyalties. Doubtless, all of the other Purebloods that go to Hogwarts will question them."

The Malfoy heir nodded. "All right, Sev. I'll do it. I know for a fact that most of the purebloods going to Hogwarts are convinced that you have turned traitor. Just, don't take offense to anything I say."

Sevti smiled. "Just as long as _you_ don't, Dray. I'll have to fight back, remember."

Sevti glanced at the compartment door.

"I'm taking the spells down now, doubtless your father asked those buffoons Crabbe and Goyle to send their sons to watch over you. The two of them may be our age, but they have the intellects of a flobberworm.

Draco laughed. "I can't argue with that."

Sevti pointed her wand at the doors and muttered the counter charms, breaking up the magic she had sent into the spells, and reabsorbing it.

"I don't want them to see me with you. I will owl you, with a school owl, mind you, when I find it time for our first lesson. Until that time, we are enemies," Sevti said curtly.

She looked at him just before she left, her expression softening, "It really was good to see you, Dray. Remember that anything you insult me with, I won't take personally, though I might act it."

She then left his compartment, grabbing her trunk, owl, and jacket.

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A/N: Review! Dont' be a silent reader. Even if you have more chapter to go, any response is appreciated, even monosyllabic ones.

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	3. Meeting Potter

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A/N: "quote" means speech. 

_italics_ means emphasis.

_'italics'_ means thoughts.

"_italics_" means spell.

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**Destiny's Games  
-The Sorcerer's Stone**

**Chapter Two:  
Meeting Potter**

Sevti walked down the aisle, searching for a compartment that was not already full. She had almost abandoned hope when she got to a compartment near the back of the train that was occupied by two boys and no one else.

One had red hair and a spattering of freckles. He had a dark smudge on his nose that looked like it had been rubbed at, but wouldn't come off.

The other had untidy jet black hair. She couldn't see his face from her position. They were both lacking house crests, so she assumed they were first years. She knocked politely on the door and stuck her head in.

"Mind if I sit here?" she asked with a smile. "Everywhere else is full, I got kicked out of the compartment I was sitting in." she pulled a face.

The black-haired boy turned around to look at her and she gasped. Her jaw dropped fractionally. In a turn of luck, she had found her way directly into Harry Potter's compartment. If the green eyes weren't proof enough, the lightning-bolt scar poking out from under his fringe of hair was.

"Wow, Harry Potter." She quickly regained control of her jaw and smiled.

The boy blushed scarlet and didn't quite meet her eyes.

That answered one of Sevti's questions. The boy wasn't really letting all of the attention go to his head. That was always a good thing.

She turned her attention to the redhead behind him. "What's your name?" she asked the lanky boy.

"Ron Weasley," he said. He smiled tentatively at her.

"Cool. My name's Sevti, Sevti Sheikh."

Potter smiled. "Nice to meet you Sevti," he said cordially.

Weasley, however, looked at her with horror.

"You… you're a _Sheikh?_

"Yes. I'm a Sheikh. What of it?" she asked. She knew where this was going, but she put a puzzled expression on her face anyway.

"You're a Dark Witch, that's what!" the redhead exclaimed.

Sevti glared. "Ron, I _suggest_ that you don't make baseless accusations. I am not, and nor will I ever be, a Dark witch." She said in a dangerously low voice. "I'll leave that to the rest of my damned family."

She then regained control of her temper and berated herself for letting it slip. Slipping in front of Dray was one thing, but slipping in front of a stranger was another.

"I'm… sorry I lost my temper, Ron." She quickly apologized. "…I should be used to people saying things like than by now."

The redhead nodded, his face mix of emotions that Sevti couldn't quite decipher.

She saw Potter eye her, and then Weasley, trying to find a way to diffuse the situation. Finally, the green eyed youth made a weak attempt at changing the subject, to which Sevti obliged.

"So, you're from America?" he asked, referring to her accent.

"Yeah, the good old US of A." Sevti proclaimed. She gave Potter her best 'charming American hothead' smile. "England is beautiful, really. A bit damp, and a bit cold, but otherwise perfect." She continued.

He smiled. "I'll be agreeing with you once winter sets in at Hogwarts, about the damp and cold part that is, unless it's to the south. I honestly don't know where we're going."

"I don't think anybody but the headmaster and the staff knows the exact location of Hogwarts, but I can tell you that we've been heading north this entire time," Sevti said.

"Oh, well, I guess it'll be cold then," he said.

Sevti smiled. "It'll be absolutely freezing. I _hate_ cold weather."

Just then, they were interrupted by the arrival of a little witch with a cart full of food. Sevti got up when the witch asked if anyone wanted anything. She made a few selections, but nothing with chocolate. She didn't like it. Potter, she watched in amusement, seemed to want one of everything on the cart.

She retuned to her seat, letting the black haired boy finish. She opened one of the pumpkin pasties she had bought. They weren't healthy, and she didn't particularly like them, but they were something. It wasn't as if the government would remember to give her something as unimportant as a lunch for the train ride.

She tried to remove her thoughts from the battle with the government that she was waging right now. Everyone wanted to use her, but she never let them, and some of the people who she had crossed were royally pissed at her.

She snapped back to reality when Potter dumped his purchases on an empty seat and proceeded to cajole Weasley into shucking his homemade lunch and eating the array of junk food before them. Sevti would have greatly appreciated the corned beef sandwiches as she couldn't remember the last time she had had a home cooked meal, but she didn't ask.

The two boys were soon going through a bag of some sort of beans. Sevti didn't really know what they were. They seemed to be entertained though. Both would periodically spit one out, making a gruesome face, and then they would both laugh their asses off.

Sevti watched and periodically joined into the conversation and laughed at the faces they were making. The earlier tension quickly dissipated and Weasley seemed to be under the impression that a Dark witch couldn't laugh. Well, as long as he was satisfied that she wasn't Dark, it was a start.

Soon the camaraderie between the three was interrupted by a round faced first year.

"Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all?" he asked in a thick accent.

Sevti shook her head and saw the two boys doing the same.

The round faced boy exclaimed that he had lost his toad and that the toad kept on getting away from him.

"He'll turn up." Potter said comfortingly. Sevti smiled in approval of his response. The kid really was sweet.

The boy muttered something about telling him if they saw the toad and left the compartment.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," Weasley said. "If I'd brought a toad I would lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk."

Sevti had noticed the rat that was on his lap, but she hadn't known its name. She took the opportunity to look at it more closely, so as to be able to recognize it.

It was fairly easy, because the rat was missing a toe on one paw.

The redhead proceeded to lament his lack of an interesting pet. He seemed to know a spell that would turn a rat yellow. Sevti sat up straighter. That kind of transfiguration was advanced for a first year. She wanted to see this.

He pulled a battered wand out of his trunk. Sevti could see that the auras didn't match perfectly, as if the wand was someone else's. She shrugged mentally. Some families preferred giving their children used wands, particularly the parents' childhood wand, until the child reached their majority when they needed a wand change.

He raised his wand, and right at that moment, a girl with bushy brown hair burst into the compartment. Without preamble, she announced,

"Has anyone seen a toad, Neville seems to have lost his."

Sevti's mouth quirked, amused. The girl had just barged in and seemed to be oblivious to the fact that she was being decidedly rude.

However, she seemed to notice that Weasley was about to perform a spell.

Her expression changed to one of rapture. _'muggle born'_ Sevti though to herself.

"Oh, are you doing magic, let's see then," the girl said.

Sevti watched attentively as the redhead cleared his throat, but had to resist the urge to snort and roll her eyes when he began a chant that no doubt someone had told him was a spell.

"_Sunshine, daises, butter mellow,_

_Turn this stupid fat rat yellow._"

The look of dismay on his face was priceless when the rat didn't turn yellow. Sevti really had to clamp down on herself to not laugh her ass off. None of the people there would appreciate just how funny it was until they started learning actual incantations.

She pushed the scene from her head and refocused on the scene playing out before her.

The brunette had started to chatter. "…Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tired a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased of course, I mean it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard…"

Sevti gave herself a mental score because she had been right about the girl being muggle born. She smiled.

The girl, oblivious to everything but her own voice, continued to chatter. "I've learned all out course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough – I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

Finally, the girl's attention seemed to fall on something other than herself.

Potter had a slightly overwhelmed look to him, and Weasley was much the same. The redhead mumbled his name. "Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter," said Potter, following suit.

Granger completely ignored Sevti when she recognized Harry's name.

"Are you really?" said Granger. "I know all about you, of course –I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century," _Hermione continued.

Sevti blocked her out as Potter, with a dazed look on his face, asked if he really was in all of those books. The poor kid, but he was supposed to know about all of this. According to British Ministry of Magic reports, his relatives were to have told him of his past. She frowned. She would have to get to the bottom of that later. If there was one thing that she disliked, it was being kept out of the loop on missions that she was on. She needed to know all of the information that was out there in order to be able to make decisions in the field. And why didn't he know about being in books. He must surely know exactly how famous he is.

Well, she was scheduled to have a meeting with the Headmaster later that night, after the Sorting and the Feast. Doubtless, she would get it all sorted out then.

Granger was discussing the houses. She listened as the girl listed what she seemed to think were the best houses, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. She gave the most asinine reasons for wanting to be in those houses as well.

Sevti supposed that she was entitled to her opinions, and Potter was receiving a positive impression of Gryffindor, which was good. But really, the girl was grating on her nerves.

Soon Granger left, leaving two slightly confused boys behind. Sevti acknowledged that Hermione was a bright girl with a lot of potential, but she would need to work on not being obvious about it. No one likes it when they are bettered by others and then belittled for it.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Weasley.

Sevti nearly burst out laughing and couldn't prevent a slight twitch of her lips.

"Stupid spell –George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud." he continued.

"What house are your brothers in?" Potter asked, diverting the redhead.

"Gryffindor," said Weasley. His face seemed to fall. "Mum and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw _would_ be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin."

Sevti smiled. Such obvious house rivalries would be to her benefit. But it was cute that the kid wanted to be in the same house as his family. But seriously, he was getting too stressed about it.

"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You Know Who was in?" Potter asked suddenly.

"Yeah," Sevti said, putting in her two cents worth. "Slytherin has a reputation for being the house that has turned out the most Dark Wizards. My entire family, all those who went to Hogwarts, went into Slytherin. I don't know what I'll do if I'm put in Slytherin as well."

"Why?" Weasley asked. He didn't seem to be able to understand why you wouldn't want to be in the same house as your family.

Sevti looked him in the eye. "Ron, I don't really get along with my family."

The redhead seemed to comprehend the fact that the way that Sevti had vehemently denounced the Dark Arts wouldn't be kindly taken to in a Dark household.

"Oh, sorry," said Weasley. The tips of his ears turned pink in embarrassment.

Sevti smiled easily. "It's all right Ron. It's not like it's anything new."

Potter was examining Scabbers with a critical eye, and said seemingly out of the blue, "You know, Ron, I think his whiskers are a bit lighter."

The redhead's expression lighted up and he closely examined his rat, declaring that Potter might just be right.

Sevti caught Potter's eye and smiled at the messy haired kid. She knew that he had saved Weasley yet again from an awkward situation.

Potter blushed slightly and looked down. Sevti smiled even wider, _'modest kid'_ she thought proudly.

"So, what do your oldest brothers do know that they've left, anyway?" Potter asked Weasley.

"Charlie's in Romania studying Dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing something for Gringotts," Weasley replied. "Did you hear about Gringotts? It's been all over the _Daily Prophet,_ but I don't' suppose you get that with Muggles –someone tied to rob a high security vault."

Sevti had heard of the attempted robbery at Gringotts and it worried her. There had been some suspicious activity reported by various informants that she was paying close attention to, but right now nothing was concrete.

She listed as the redhead explained what had happened to Potter and then resisted the urge to roll her eyes when they started talking about quidditch. _'Boys!' _she thought to herself.

She lay back in her seat to rest a bit as Weasley went over the game rules and how quidditch is played. He got into a long discussion about how the Chudley Cannons were his favorite team. Sevti smirked. The Chudley Cannons had been in a slump for years.

The redhead seemed to go on and on about a relatively simple game. Sevti had not been able to actually ever play the game, but she had read books on it and had listened to American wizards and witches talk incessantly about it.

The redhead was taking Potter through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again. Sevti expected either Granger or Longbottom to be standing in front of her, but was surprised to see Draco stride into the compartment.

He sauntered in with a sneer and looked at Harry with interest. Crabbe and Goyle followed him in, looking generally intimidating.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Yes." Potter said, eyeing Crabbe and Goyle.

"Oh, this is Crabbe, and this is Goyle," said Draco, noticing the dark haired boy's glance. He looked utterly careless, a pose that all purebloods could effortlessly pull off. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Weasley disguised his snigger as a cough. Draco looked at him.

"You think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children then they can afford.

Sevti snorted. "You know, Malfoy, your name is just a _tad_ funny. And I've been informed that all you have to do to spot the Malfoy heir is to look for a blonde little snot that uses appalling amounts of hair gel."

Draco didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared on his cheeks.

To the boys, he seemed to have just noticed Sevti, but she knew that he had taken notice of her being in the compartment before he had entered.

He smirked. "Sevti Sheikh, well, isn't _this_ a surprise," he bit out. "I thought I had seen the last of you after you disgraced Ehsan Sheikh."

Sevti smirked. "I'm not that easy to get rid of, Malfoy. I'm afraid the world is stuck with me being for quite some time." She noticed the amused glint in Draco's eyes.

He turned back to Potter, seeming to give Sevti the cold shoulder. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter," Draco said, looking down at Weasley with an expression of contempt. "And even the best of families have their share of pathetic disgraces," he said, sneering at Sevti.

"You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." Draco held out his hand.

Sevti inwardly prayed that Potter would have enough sense not to take the blonde's hand.

He didn't take it. "I think I can tell the wrong sort myself, thanks," he said coolly.

Sevti smiled in approval. This was a good kid, and then smirked at herself. How many times had she thought that since meeting him?

Draco didn't seem to be fazed, but his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."

Sevti made sure that Potter and Weasley weren't looking at her, and then sent a smile in Draco's direction. She hated doing it, but she needed him to keep faith in her.

Then she let her true feelings rise up.

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy," she said in a dangerously low voice. She stood up in a fluid movement and stood in a dangerous pose. Potter and Weasley drew themselves up beside her. Weasley's face was as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight me, are you?" Draco said with a smirk. But his fear at her sudden anger showed in his eyes.

"Unless you get out now," said Potter, who suddenly looked at lot older and a lot stronger than she knew him to be.

Sevti drew her wand threateningly.

"But we don't feel like leaving, do we boys? We've eaten all our food and you still seem to have some." Draco announced, eyeing Sevti's wand cautiously.

Goyle reached towards a box of Chocolate frogs near Weasley, and the redhead started to lunge forward, but before he had touched the kid, Goyle shrieked.

Scabbers was locked onto Goyle's knuckle, and Sevti couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her.

Goyle started trying to shake the stubborn rat off, and when he failed, started swinging the poor thing in circles. Finally, he succeeded and the poor rat flew off of his finger and hit the window with a solid thud. Sevti winced.

Sevti noticed footsteps coming rapidly towards their compartment, and so did Draco. The blonde beat a fast retreat, pulling Crabbe and Goyle with him.

A second later, Granger came in. "What _has _been going on?" she said, taking in the scene before her. Potter was looking on as Weasley was picking up Scabbers by the tail, and Sevti had collapsed against the side of the compartment in silent laughter.

"I think he's been knocked out," Weasley said to Potter and Sevti. He looked more closely. "No – I don't believe it – he's gone back to sleep."

Sevti laughed all the more.

"You've met Malfoy before?" Potter asked Sevti.

"Yeah." She affirmed, shaking off her mirth. "I'd rather not remember the little albino, but our families are allies."

"You've met him as well?" Sevti asked in turn.

Potter explained about his first trip to Diagon Alley, and how he had met the blonde in Madame Malkin's.

"I've heard of his family," said Weasley darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You Know Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says the Malfoys didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to Granger, who was still in the compartment. "Can we help you with something?"

"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"

"I think Scabbers did all of the fighting," Sevti said, motioning towards Weasley's rat. "That's a priceless pet there, Ron," she added with a charming smile.

The redhead gave her a bright smile.

"I'll get out of here so you can change, and then I'll come back in when you're ready and kick you out to change myself," Sevti suggested.

The boys nodded, and Sevti left the compartment with Granger.

"I don't think we were properly introduced." She said to the brunette. "Sevti Sheikh." She held out her hand for the girl to shake.

"I'm Hermione Granger. I've read all about your family. They're the most powerful Wizarding family in the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa," she announced. She shook Sevti's hand vigorously.

"Family isn't everything. Actually, I'm in disgrace right now, and pretty close to being burnt off of the family tree."

Granger looked at her blankly.

"All pureblood families have family trees that they display in their ancestral homes. When a member of the family is disowned, their name is burnt off of the tapestry," Sevti explained.

"Oh, that's horrible! I just couldn't imagine being disowned." The brunette exclaimed.

Sevti just gave her a strained smile.

Right then, the boys knocked on the compartment door signaling that they were done.

"Well, I have to change, so, I'll see you later, okay," Sevti said.

Granger nodded and made her way up the train.

Sevti entered the compartment, and smilingly shoed the boys out. She stuffed her leather jacket into her bag, and then pulled out a nice pair of robes. She pulled them over her black silk shirt and black pants and then quickly conjured a mirror. She looked as she should, a young witch from an upstanding pureblood family. She straightened her hair and checked for any fold or wrinkles in her robes. Finding none, she banished the mirror and called the boys back in.

A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train. It will be taken to the school separately."

Sevti filed out of the compartment with Potter and Weasley and prepared to face her new life.

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A/N: The little button is waiting… It wants you to review.

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	4. The Sorting

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A/N: Hello once again. A new chapter, and fairly quickly as well! I warn you now that my updates are random at best. They average at once a month. And I freely admit to using direct JKR quotes to move the story along. Eventually, they will taper off to maybe two a chapter, because I'm following the major events of the book, I sometimes use the direct quotes just because they are already said the perfect way, so why change them. Till next I update… **

**-Draconigena

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****Destiny's Games  
****-The Sorcerer's Stone**

**Chapter Three:  
****The Sorting**

The Hogwarts Express rolled to a stop and the crowd of kids began pushing towards the exits. The night air was cold, and the platform Sevti found herself on was tiny. A lamp came bobbing over the heads of all the students and Sevti, who had excellent night vision, saw a great towering man with a wild beard part the crowd of students easily.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there Harry, the man boomed."

Sevti was mildly startled when the giant of a man beamed over the crowd at the skinny, small boy beside her.

"C'mon, follow me – any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Sevti bent over a bit to be able to talk to Potter in the noisy crowd of students.

"You know him?" she asked.

"Yeah! That's Hagrid. He's the one who took me to Diagon Alley!"

Sevti delicately raised an eyebrow. "Oh." She started walking with the flow of first years.

They made their way over the slippery ground of a steep and narrow path. Sevti saw the edges of a forest that made up either side of the trail. The trees stood silent and tall. They were menacing in the darkness and Sevti could hear the scurrying of creatures that were repelled by the light.

"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over the sea of first years. She noticed the crossbow strapped to his arm and his weary stance.

"Jus' round this bend here." He continued.

She walked around the bend, and froze in wonder. They were standing at the edge of a large lake and on a mountain at the other side of its black depths stood a castle that took Sevti's breath away. Soaring turrets and softly waving pennants were looming shadows framed by the moonlight that was directly behind the castle, forming a halo. Little specks of light from the windows made the castle twinkle and shimmer in the cool night air.

Sevti's breath was taken away. But that was not all. Sevti could feel the underlying magic of the castle. It seemed to reach out to her, surround her and finally accept her as its own. For the first time in a very long time, Sevti felt a sense of belonging. She gazed at the ancient edifice and smiled a smile of pure happiness.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, breaking her trance. He pointed to a fleet of little wooden row boats moored to a small pier. She shook her head to clear the sudden feelings that had bombarded her. She looked around to see if anyone had been affected as she had, but none of the kids seemed dazed as she had been.

She stepped towards the boats and cursed under her breath. What were they thinking, making a bunch of eleven year olds row across a lake in the middle of the night? She looked at the boats critically and sighed. Tradition was tradition.

She motioned for Potter and Weasley to wait as she jumped into one of the boats with a seasoned sailor's authority. She held the boat steady as the two boys, followed by Granger jumped into the boat. Thankfully, it didn't sink too low into the water.

She looked around for a set of oars and then smirked at her own stupidity. They were going to be magicked across.

"Everybody in?" Hagrid shouted. "Right then – FORWARD!"

Sevti settled down and continued to gaze at the majestic castle and its soaring turrets. They were sailing closer and closer to the cliff that it stood over. As the first boats reached it, Hagrid called for the kids to put their heads down. Sevti winced at Draco's close call with the roof of the tunnel and was sure to duck sufficiently to make sure she didn't bump her head. She pushed Weasley's head down further when he was about to be hit in the head by an overhanging rock, earning her a gash on the back of her hand.

She ignored it as they reached a hidden grotto in the cliff and the boats gently bumped up against the small pier that led to a clearing of rocks and pebbles.

They clambered up a passageway carved into the solid rock that made up the walls of the tunnel. Sevti subconsciously took the back to prevent falls and the like. After what seemed like an endless flight of stairs, they emerged into a patch of grass directly beside Hogwarts.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge front doors. Hagrid raised a giant fist and knocked on the castle door three times.

The door swung open at once, revealing a tall, stern witch. Her brown hair was tied back in a severe bun and a pointed hat rested on her head. Her face bore a stern expression. Sevti had the distinct impression that this was not a witch to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them form here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was a sight to see. The hall was large, and portraits of wizards and witches were placed tastefully along the walls. The torches that lit the hall from their brackets did not allow enough light to make out the ceiling, but Sevti could tell that it was vaulted by the dark outlines that she could barely make out. A grand marble staircase directly in front of the doors swept up to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall though the beautiful hall, passing a room to their right from which Sevti could hear the drone of some three hundred people. The Professor led them into a side chamber. They crowded in, standing rather close together, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding wizards and witches. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Sevti knew that the speech had to be the same one that McGonagall said every year to every new batch of students, because it rolled off of her tongue with the ease of something well practiced. She watched as Potter nervously tried to flatten his hair and smirked. It really was a lost cause.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

Sevti quickly took her wand out of its sheath and healed the gash on the back of her hand. After she was finished, she looked around.

The boys were looking positively green and Granger was by now muttering stuff under her breath that she had no doubt read in order to be prepared of whatever they threw at her.

She looked on as Weasley told Potter that it was some sort of test. She smirked. The look on their faces would be priceless when they found out all they had to do was put on a hat. But as tradition dictated, Sevti let them sweat it out.

Right then, Potter jumped and Sevti heard a series of gasps come from around the room. Some even screamed. She looked up to see about twenty ghosts float into the room, seemingly engrossed in deep conversation.

The ghosts rambled on about something or the other until McGonagall returned and shoed them along.

"Now, form a line," she told the first years, "and follow me."

The Professor lead them though the entrance hall to a set of double doors. She opened them and the new students trooped in. Again, Sevti subconsciously took to the back of the line.

When she emerged into the hall, the feeling of home that she had sensed since her first sight of Hogwarts converged around her and it took her breath away. The Great Hall was vast with a staff table at the front and four rows of tables were situated at right angles from it. The entire hall was lit by thousands of candles that gave off a flickering light that danced majestically across the room. The tables were lined with golden plates and goblets. She looked to the ceiling and saw a perfect reflection of the starry night outside. For the first time in a long time, she felt warm inside, and the brightness of her surroundings filled her with an emotions she couldn't quite describe.

The Professor led them to the head table and they turned to face the students. She silently placed a four-legged stool in front of them. On top of it, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was extremely dirty, and looked as if it had been mended more times than would be able to count and was in need for yet another.

She followed suit as everybody stared at the hat. Finally it twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and it began to sing.

"_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_You top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in you head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave of heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_If you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Honor, ambition, and cunning,_

_Are on what that house depends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song, and Sevti joined in. The hat had been very factual about the houses. Thankfully, it hadn't swayed into anyone's favor.

McGonagall came back into view. With her she carried a long parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott Hannah!"

A girl with blond pigtails stumbled out of line and put on the hat, which flopped down over her eyes promptly. After a moments pause –

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as she went to sit down.

Sevti watched the rest of the kids get sorted with rapt attention, putting names to faces and mannerisms.

Granger was sorted into Gryffindor, a fact that startled Sevti just a little bit. Maybe the girl just hadn't shown that side of herself yet, but Sevti could have sworn that she was a sure bet for Ravenclaw.

She watched with sadness as Draco sat on the stool and before the hat barely touched his head was sorted into Slytherin.

She watched with rapt attention, barely moving, when the Sorting Hat took what she thought was an inordinate amount of time sorting Potter.

She sighed with relief as he was sorted into Gryffindor and was greeted by what were unmistakably Weasley's older twin brothers, Fred and George, chanting "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

Then, the time for her name to be called came. With a grace that she wasn't feeling inside, she made her way to the small wooden stool. Her gut was twisting in knots. What house would she be put in? Would she be able to convince the hat to out her in Gryffindor?

She took the final few steps and picked the hat up gently and put it on her head. I was quite large, and so naturally it came down over her eyes and ears.

She sat gracefully on the stool.

_Hmm… who do we have here? You seem to be and exceptional individual, Miss Sheikh._

_And I presume you to be the Sorting Hat?_

_Why yes! However did you guess?_

_Very funny. I must be frank with you. I need to be placed in Gryffindor._

_My dear, are you quite sure? Would that be your ideal house? You have the traits of all of the houses in abundance. You have cunning and honor, two of Salazar's greatest traits. You have a quick wit that Rowena would have loved in her time. You have loyalty enough that Helga Hufflepuff would beam with pride. And you have bravery the likes of which I have not seen since my former master, Godric Gryffindor. _

_Thank you?_

_No, my dear, don't thank me. These are your traits, your strengths, but looking into your mind, you have many secrets, and even some that I cannot see. You barriers are formidable. What do you have to hide?_

_Many things, none of which I can divulge. _

_Keep your secrets then. But where to put you? I have no doubt that you would do well in any house._

_I would like to be put in Gryffindor._

_I warn you that down that path lie many dangers and obstacles._

_I am here on a mission. I know that I will face dangers._

_Do you really? How can you predict what will happen the seven years you study here? I know that you are as aware as I of the coming rebirth of Voldemort, but can you really fathom what obstacles block your path?_

_Whatever comes, I will face. I am not afraid. I will be strong. _

_If you are sure… it is pointless pastime to argue with Destiny at work. You had better be… _

"GRYFFINDOR!"

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A/N: I admit it! I admit it! I changed the Sorting song! I always thought that the books were a bit biased about one entire fourth of the Hogwarts population. I plan to change that. Slytherins are regular students, and not inherently evil. They will be treated as people in my writing, not Satan manifested on earth.


	5. The Feast

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A/N: Hey! Here's the next chapter.

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**Destiny's Games  
-The Sorcerer's Stone**

**Chapter Four:  
The Feast**

The reality of what had just taken place hit her just as she pulled the hat off of her head. She had actually been sorted into Gryffindor. She let a small smile grace her features.

Then what had happened really sunk in. All of the consequences of being sorted into Gryffindor house started forming in her mind. Amjad would not be pleased. She had always thought that getting into Gryffindor would be the best way for her to befriend Potter, but she had never actually believed that she would be sorted into it. Gryffindor was no place for a Sheikh. She would be considered a disgrace.

She shivered at the though of when she had to go home over breaks. She hated fighting with Amjad, and this time he would be really mad. She felt her legs wobble unsteadily and her face drain of color.

She couldn't work up the courage to look at the Slytherin table and semiconsciously began moving towards the Gryffindor table. Potter was there clapping, along with some of the others, but the Hall was eerily silent except for them. She quickly glanced at the Slytherins. A myriad of emotions were on their faces, the foremost being anger, shock, and revulsion. She quickly glanced away.

The few who were clapping at the Gryffindor table slowly stopped and frowned at their house mates. The murmurs started from the back of the table, somewhere in the vicinity of a group of older students.

"Sheikhs… dark family…he who must not be named…"

Soon the murmurs filled the hall.

Sevti continued making her shaky way to the Gryffindor table. Potter moved over so that she could sit beside him. He was frowning worriedly.

"Are you all right, Sev? You're awfully pale."

She noticed his subconscious shortening of her name. She would have smiled if her head weren't whirling. She looked at him and made herself forget her worries and face what would come. Her only mission was to keep this boy safe, and she would do it against all odds.

"Fine…I'm fine." She forced out, her voice a bit unsteady. The murmurs continued, growing louder in their denouncement of her.

Then, Granger suddenly stood up. "Wait, aren't you the Vice President of the United States? I saw you picture just yesterday in the news." She said loudly enough so that her voice carried to all corners of the hall.

Sevti calmed a bit, this was her element now. She knew what to do as Vice President. She smiled her politician's smile, inwardly she was smiling shakily, still not over the shock of getting into Gryffindor. So the girl had finally noticed. Being a muggle born, it had just been a matter of time before Hermione made the connection.

"Yes. I am."

Granger smiled brightly and eagerly held out her hand.

"My God, I saw you on the train! I was so stupid. I didn't recognize you at all. It's ever so nice to meet you Ms. Vice President."

Sevti smiled. "Just Sevti, if you please. Or, if I may go as far as to ask you to call me Sev?"

Granger blushed. Sevti pretended to hold back a laugh and just smiled the more.

"Oh, of course Ms… Sev." The brunette said haltingly.

Sevti then looked around with slightly widened eyes, and let a slight blush cross her cheeks.

"Um…I believe we're interrupting the Sorting." She looked to the Head Table. "Sorry." She said meekly. Dumbledore smiled at her and Sevti found herself looking into twinkling blue eyes. She forced herself to look away. The man controlled much power. She could barely help but be blinded by the magical aura she perceived. She would meet this legendary man later, in the confines of the Headmaster's office.

"Quite all right Ms. Sheikh. Not of your doing. And we haven't had this much excitement in a Sorting Ceremony in years. I must, however, ask you to take you seats. We should get on with the ceremony or some here may famish with hunger," he said with eyes twinkling all the more and a ready smile.

"Professor McGonagall, if you would continue with the Sorting." He said benignly.

Professor McGonagall smiled thinly. Obviously, she didn't take too kindly to having the ceremony interrupted, even though the Headmaster didn't mind.

Sevti smiled and made sure to keep her face impassive until she felt the many eyes staring at her turn their attention back to the Sorting. All of the eyes, that was, except for those of the Slytherins. She turned to meet the eyes of those on the table, and tried to catch Draco's eye.

Draco was looking at her with an expression of shock. Obviously it wasn't about the debacle that had just occurred, but about the house that she was in. He, like her, honestly hadn't believed that she would be able to get into Gryffindor. She hoped that he would let her explain. But the look of betrayal in his eyes told her otherwise. She sighed inwardly and wondered if she had failed one of her missions already. Had she pushed him too far away and broken his trust? She left that line of though for another time.

Potter caught her attention and she pulled her eyes away from the Slytherin Table.

"Are you sure you're all right? What was that all about? The Slytherins are glaring are all glaring at you. Surely they can't be mad at you for interrupting the ceremony." Potter asked again.

Sevti smiled slightly. "You know that I am part of an upstanding pureblood family. Purebloods usually go to Slytherin or Ravenclaw at the worst. Mind you, families like the Weasleys aren't considered purebloods by my kind because they mingle with half-bloods and muggle-borns. They are considered blood-traitors. I have just been sorted into Gryffindor. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin is infamous. I am as good as an outcast now. Not that I got along with any of them in the first place."

She felt her heart wrench when she though of Draco. He was like a little brother to her, though she would never admit it.

Potter frowned. "Does it really make that much of a difference?"

Sevti smiled wryly, "I wish it didn't, Harry."

Then Potter blushed. "I didn't know you were famous." He said.

Sevti smiled. "I am, but I wish for the world that I wasn't. And don't forget, you're famous too. I just like to act like a normal kid. There's nothing special about being famous unless you make it that way."

The raven haired boy looked at her with wide eyes.

"So I don't have to act different?"

Sevti sent the boy a mock glare.

"If you get an oversized ego, Mr. Potter, you will have me to answer to. But really, Harry, you just have to be yourself, whoever that is. People like you for who you are, not who you pretend to be."

Potter smiled at her warmly and she couldn't help but smile back. The kid was so… cute, adorable, just… she guessed the word was teddy bear-ish."

Just then The Gryffindors around them started clapping and Potter and Sevti started clapping along with them, turning to see who had just been sorted. Weasley was coming towards them with a relieved smile on his face. He seemed more relaxed now that he had been sorted. He sat down on Harry's other side.

Blaise Zabini was made a Slytherin. Sev had expected no less, the boy couldn't stand muggles, muggle-borns, half-bloods, or blood-traitors. The only house absent of most of those was Slytherin.

Dumbledore got to his feet in a swift motion. He was the picture of a doting Grandfather as he surveyed the Hogwarts population. He caught Sevti's eye and gave her a smile. She smiled back.

The Headmaster opened his arms wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to have seen them all there in the Great Hall that night.

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!"

Sevti couldn't help the soft snort of laughter that escaped her. The students slowly looked away from the Headmaster, some of their lips twitching in the effort not to laugh. When she glanced down at the table, she saw that the plates that lined it were now full the brim with food of all kinds.

She noticed Potter talking to a redhead that looked like another one of Ron's brothers. She figured she should get introduced. She smiled at the boy with the prefects' badge. He smiled back.

"Hello, my name is Percy Weasley." He said pompously. He stuck his hand out for her to shake.

She shook his hand with a straight face.

"Nice to meet you Percy. I met your brother Ron on the Hogwarts Express," Sevti said.

"Really, I hope he was civil," the older Weasley said, sending a disapproving look towards his younger brother, who immediately went red.

"He was perfectly civil." Sevti said with a laugh. "What would give you the impression that he wasn't. You have an awesome brother, Percy."

The older Weasley seemed to bluster and then mumbled something about how Ron really was a good kid and that he, Percy, had had no doubts and was only joking.

Sevti smiled and assured him that it was quite all right.

The two twins that Sevti had seen earlier seemed to grow impatient with their brother, because they butted in at that second.

"Now now Perce, lets let everyone meet our new celebrity…" said one.

"No wait, there's two of hem. We've really got a good crowd this year… "said the other.

"Do you play Quidditch..."

"But of course they're not allowed on the house teams…"

"Well, there's always next year…."

"Anyway, we'd better introduce ourselves to the kind lady…"

"As Mr. Potter has already made our acquaintance…"

"Fred…"

"And George…"

"Weasley…"

"At your service."

Sevti smile at the two. No doubt that display had been designed to make her confused as to who was who, but there were slight differences between the two that Sev had noticed.

"Hello George," she said, holding her hand out to him.

He smiled charmingly, and took her hand.

She them turned to Fred and offered him her hand, which he shook as well.

"Well, if you'll excuse us…"

"We have to eat."

Sevti smiled and started piling food on her plate herself.

She took some steak and roast potatoes. She paused and then added some peas. She started chewing and listened to the conversations going on around her. Most of the students were involved in discussions about their parents and ancestry.

Finally, the conversation came to her and she found that almost the entirety of Gryffindor table was looking at her expectantly.

"Well, I'm a pureblood…" she said evasively. She didn't want to discuss her family. Not now, when she was no doubt going to receive a howler from Amjad in the morning. Amjad had done so much for her. She had been a bastard child. Her mother had died in childbirth. Amjad could have left her on the streets to die. Instead, he had raised her as his own. She couldn't hate the man, but nor could she love him. He was a Dark Wizard.

They kept on looking at her expectantly.

"Well, what else do you want to know? I'm a Sheikh. I became the Vice President of the United States. Surely you could just look all this up?" Sevti said, she cursed under her breath when her voice wavered.

They thought she was dark. She had heard he whispers. Would she be an outcast in her own house? The Slytherins were already glaring at her.

It seemed that someone had noticed her discomfort, because before she knew it, a tall, curly brown haired boy came up to stand beside her and shoed off the gazes of the other Gryffindors.

She turned around in her seat to look up at the boy, taking in his Ravenclaw badge and another badge that was pinned to his robes that she couldn't read.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who you are," she said politely, not knowing what the boy wanted with her. He had a roundish face and dark eyes that were filled with warmth.

"Oh, sorry," he said, he straightened his robes so that she could read the badge while simultaneously introducing himself. "My name is Iason Xander, I'm the Head Boy of Hogwarts."

"Nice to meet you, Iason," Sevti replied. "I guess you already know who I am."

"Oh yes. My parents are muggles, so I got to know about the whole debacle in America when they put you in office."

Sevti smiled. "Well, I was better than the other guy, which is why most of the people agreed to put me in office."

Iason laughed. "Well, I think you were the right choice as well, judging by what I've heard on the news. But let's return to why I came here, shall we. It wasn't only to save you from a mob of Gryffindors."

Sevti smiled. Iason was one of those people who naturally put you at ease.

"And why was it then. I have to admit it was nice having a knight in shining armor come to the rescue," Sevti said, nodding towards his Head Boy badge.

Iason laughed. "Well, Professor Dumbledore asked me to escort you to his office after the feast. He said that you knew why." He raised an eyebrow comically. "Don't tell me that you're in trouble already. Classes haven't even started yet!"

Sevti smiled, and then said playfully. "No. I'm not in trouble… yet."

Iason smiled. "Well, I'll be waiting by the staff table after the feast, and we'll make our way to the Headmaster's office from there."

Sevti smiled, "All right. Thanks Iason, I'll do that."

The tall boy smiled and excused himself to go back to the Ravenclaw table.

Sevti rejoined the conversation that the Gryffindors were having, but thankfully, no one asked her about her family again.

Finally, as the deserts faded and disappeared, Dumbledore once again rose from his seat at the Staff table. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem – just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should not that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins and Sevti smirked. The two looked like trouble makers. All doubts were removed by the mischievous grins that they sent to the Headmaster.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madame Hooch.

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Sevti frowned. What was going on? She would have to ask him when she went to his office after the feast.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!"

Dumbledore conjured a golden ribbon and shaped it to form words. Sevti watched, bemused, as all of the teacher's smiles became rather plastered-on looking. A dark-haired professor was downright glaring.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,  
Teach us something please,  
Whether we be old and bald  
Or young with scabby knees,  
Our heads could do with filling  
With some interesting stuff,  
For now they're bare and full of air,  
Dead flies and bits of fluff,  
So teach us things worth knowing,  
Bring back what we've forgot,  
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,  
And learn until our brains all rot."

Sevti immediately got a headache as the students started bellowing various tunes at the same time. The cacophony was endless, and she found that she wished that she had glared just as much as the dark-haired Professor had in the beginning.

However, she quickly said the words at a fast pace and waited for the rest of the school to finish.

Finally, only the Weasley twins were left. They were chanting in unison to a slow funeral march. Sevti could have killed them for going on for so long.

Dumbledore was the only one to clap hard at the staff table, though the teachers made short clap-like motions. Then most returned to rubbing their heads, no doubt in an effort to alleviate their headaches.

_Ah, nice, sane, adults._ Sevti thought. The Headmaster was either barmy, or was a very skilled actor. She suspected the later.

"Ah, music," he wiped his eyes theatrically. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

She quickly turned to Potter and co., and said that she would catch up with them later, and that she had to take care of something.

Potter frowned slightly, glancing at the Slytherins, who had by now turned back to their own conversations, leaving Sevti free of malicious glares. He reluctantly nodded and bid her goodnight. The rest of the Gryffindors that she had met had overheard her conversation with Potter and bade her goodnight as well.

She smiled at them all and then made her way towards the Head table. Most of the teachers had already left, with the exception of Hagrid, who was making sure the prefects knew what they were doing. Soon, the tall man left as well.

Sevti made her way to Iason as the Hall cleared. She smiled brightly at him.

He smiled back. "Ah, so you survived the lions for an entire meal?" He asked.

"Just barley, Iason, just barely." She responded.

She then moved to stand beside him and was startled by just how tall he really was. She hadn't noticed as much at the table because she had been sitting down, but he had to be a good foot taller than her, maybe a bit more.

He smiled as he looked down at her. "Ah, such a little midget." He sighed dramatically.

"I'm actually taller than all of the other first years. Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, and Dean Thomas are the only ones who come close." Sevti retorted playfully.

"Ah, well, you're all midgets to me." He said.

"Well, shall we go to the Headmaster's Office? I have to admit that the earlier I go to bed, the better. It's been a long day." Sevti said, breaking off their banter.

"Sure." Iason replied. "I'll lead the way."

"But, I can't help but wonder," Iason said as he started making his way to the office. "Why are you here, aren't you needed in the United States?"

Sevti smiled. "Well, there are some things I need to get done in England and its better if my enemies can't find me while I do them. I talked to Professor Dumbledore and he agreed to let me come here for as long as I would. I… I needed a break."

Iason smiled, though this time softly and with kindness. "It's got to be hard, being Vice President of America. You probably don't get a lot of breaks. Not to mention the rumors going around that your Grandfather is about ready to disown you."

Sevti smiled wryly. "It is hard, but it's worth all of the sacrifices if I keep my country safe."

"I guess so." Iason said.

The rest of their walk through the winding halls was quiet, with Iason occasionally explaining where certain classes and such were. Sevti paid close attention. It would not do to get lost. Hogwarts was a very large place. Sevti memorized what Iason said about certain staircases and doors that operated on timetables or only on certain days. It really was quite interesting.

Finally they reached a stone Gargoyle set in an enclave. Sevti looked at Iason questioningly, but the Head Boy just smiled.

He turned to the statue and muttered "Sugar Quills" The Gargoyle jumped aside to allow them access to the staircase hidden behind it.

She waited for Iason to precede her, but he shook his head. "I'll be going to my rooms now. The Head Boy and Head Girl get their own rooms with an adjacent sitting room, one of the perks of being perfect prefects."

Sevti smiled at his play on words.

"No doubt the Headmaster will tell you how to get to your dorms. You know, I like you, we'll talk later."

Sevti smiled at the tall teen. "What if I don't want to talk to you, eh?"

"Well, I shall just have to throw myself off of the Astronomy tower, milady. I won't be denied your presence and clever banter."

Sevti smiled. "Please don't, kind sir, I would be left bereft without your presence"

"Ah, no. Never that." Iason said with mock horror. "Well, the Headmaster must be waiting. I shall see you tomorrow in the Great Hall for breakfast. Don't oversleep!"

Sevti smiled again. She watched as he made his way down the corridor and out of sight, whistling all the while. She couldn't really remember when she had last smiled this much.

She turned to the spiraling staircase that led to the Headmaster's office, and prepared herself for the discussion to come.

* * *

A/N: Wow. I didn't expect the entire feast scene to be so long. I guess that I'll have to move Sevti's conversation with the teachers back a chapter. Sorry, this might be a bit of a cliffe.


	6. Meeting Dumbledore

* * *

A/N: Here's the next chapter. The long awaited talk with Professor Dumbledore.

* * *

Note: Some stuff that came out about Snape in HBP will be completely ignored. In my story, he is a pureblood. Any other discrepancies with canon are probably intentional. However, bring them to my attention if I don't comment on them. I have the first edition of Goblet of fire, when Rowling accidentally put Lily and James in the wrong order, and I, like Rowling, would like the chance to fix any mistakes.

* * *

Destiny's Games  
-The Sorcerer's Stone 

Chapter 5:  
Meeting Dumbledore

Sevti faced the spiraling staircase that would take her to the Headmaster's office. The room that she was in was brightly lit, and filled with earthen tones. Chief among the colors was oak with light red and gold accents. Sevti shook her head at the blatant favoritism the colors showed. Dumbledore was a Gryffindor through and through.

She stepped onto the staircase and allowed it to take her to the upper landing where she was faced with two doors. One was directly in front of her; the other was to her left. She paused to decide which door she was supposed to knock on.

Suddenly there was a loud crack. Sevti whirled around, her wand in hand. She felt rather than saw the anomaly to her right. Her wand was placed between its eyes not a second after the crack was heard.

The thing squeaked.

"Oh miss, I is so sorry to startle miss. I is Dinky the house elf, in service to Hogwarts."

Sevti quickly put her wand away, satisfied with a quick wandless scan that the creature was not a threat. She dropped down to the elf's eyelevel.

"That's quite all right, Dinky." She said with a warm smile. "We don't have many house elves in the United States. You simply startled me. Are you all right?"

The elf's eyes widened. "I is fine, miss. It is not Dinky's place to be apologized to. I is thankful that miss wasn't hurt because miss was startled."

"I'm fine, Dinky." Sevti assured the little creature.

Then the house elf gave a little noise of exclamation. "Oh miss, Dinky is a bad house elf. I is to tell miss to go through the door to the left. Professor Dumbledore sir is waiting.

"Thank you Dinky, my name is Sevti; I'm a first year Gryffindor."

The little elf nodded. "I is honored to meet miss Sevti. I is to be going now. I is needed in the kitchens."

Sevti smiled. "All right then. Thank you again, Dinky."

The house elf bowed low to the floor, and then straightened and vanished with a pop.

Sevti straightened from her crouched position. House elves were common in the Old World, but not in the Americas. She thought she had handled herself well, having only met Amjad's house elves briefly.

She pulled herself out of her reverie and faced the door to her left. She wondered what was behind it. The Headmaster's office was no doubt the door in front of the landing. Perhaps this door led to a meeting room?

She walked up to it and raised a hand to knock, but before her knuckled touched the wood, she heard the headmaster's voice call her in.

She smirked, familiar with the spell that the headmaster was using. It was an obscure spell; one of her favorites. She used it to put certain people she was negotiating with off balance.

She turned the doorknob and entered the room. She had been expecting to meet solely with Dumbledore, but it seemed he had had other plans. When she entered the room, there were two other professors.

She quickly found the headmaster and held his eye. She bowed slightly in deference, as was proper etiquette, and then waited for the Headmaster to make the next move.

"Miss Sheikh, how nice to see you; surely we can do away with the formalities." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at her.

Sevti smiled. "Of course Headmaster," she nodded.

"Then please, child, take a seat."

Sevti sat in the only unoccupied seat.

"I trust the feast was entertaining?" Dumbledore asked.

Sevti sighed inwardly. Of course he would want to make small talk.

"It was excellent. I have heard that the House Elves surpass themselves every year from many acquaintances that attended this school." Sevti smiled.

"That is good. I remember my own days as a student. Things were a bit different then…"

The Headmaster was cut off by a cough from the professor to his left, Professor McGonagall.

It seemed that it was a norm for Dumbledore to go off on tangents, and that McGonagall was often the one to bring him back. Sevti was rather thankful, as she had yet to unpack, and classes started the next day.

However, the seating arrangement perplexed Sevti. As deputy headmistress, McGonagall should have been sitting on Dumbledore's right, but instead there was a tall man with shoulder length black hair and cold black eyes. When she made eye contact with him, he inclined is head in the proper greeting between pureblood and pureblood.

She nodded back, still trying to puzzle out who the dark man was.

"Ah… I believe I was about to start rambling Ms. Sheikh. I believe we shall get to the point so that we don't sit here all night." Dumbledore said, brining Sevti's attention back to himself.

"Thank you for allowing me to attend Hogwarts, Headmaster." Sevti said formally.

"Not at all, my dear. Hogwarts is open to any who wish to learn. But, if I may introduce everyone before we get caught up in conversation?" Dumbledore asked.

Sevti nodded.

Dumbledore continued, "To your right, Ms. Sheikh, is Minerva McGonagall, Transfigurations professor, and Head of Gryffindor House. She is also Deputy Headmistress, as you should know from your letter."

Sevti nodded her head respectfully. The Professor was stern, yet seemed more relaxed then she had with the other first years.

The Professor smiled at her. "It is nice to welcome yet another student into Gryffindor. I trust that you will do your house pride."

Sevti smiled charmingly. "It is an honor to be sorted into the lion's den."

"And to your left is Severus Snape, Potion's Master and Head of Slytherin House."

Sevti nodded deeply. The Snape line was powerful and ancient, though in recent generations it had fallen into decay. She had heard that there was now only one sole heir to the Snape name and fortune. She had never met the man, but now they were face to face. She realized that he was the Professor that had glared at the school song.

"A pleasure to meet you Professor," Sevti said guardedly. She knew next to nothing of this man. She took in his appearance. She could tell he was tall, even when he was sitting in a chair. Severe black robes muted his frame, yet she could see the outline of broad, powerful shoulders. He was one to be reckoned with. His face was angular. His nose looked as if it had been broken a couple of times. The sloppy reconstruction of the cartilage gave it an overlarge, hooked appearance. His eyes were dark obsidian and emotionless. His black hair fell to his shoulders in curtains.

He nodded back, his eyes not breaking contact with hers. For a second a slight furrow creased his brow, but it was quickly smoothed. "The pleasure is mine, Ms. Sheikh."

Dumbledore then cleared his throat expression turned serious serious. "Miss Sheikh, I had not expected you to get sorted into Gryffindor. Coupled with the fact that you are having strained times in your family, I must ask if you wish me to overrule the Sorting Hat? It has been done before in extreme circumstances."

Sevti seriously considered the action. It would save her from Amjad's wrath, but she would need to befriend Potter. To change houses after she had been sorted would be taken by the boy as an act to remain Dark. Weasley would probably do nothing to stop that thought. She reached her decision.

"Headmaster, though I greatly appreciate the offer, I have to decline."

"My child, what for?" Dumbledore asked, a surprised expression on his face.

Sevti looked pointedly at the remaining Heads of House.

Dumbledore smiled.

"No need to worry. Professors McGonagall and Snape are aware of your mission here."

"What?" Sevti looked at him sharply, startled. "I do not mean to be rude," she quickly calmed herself. "however I need to be consulted with before you share any information about me with anyone."

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled even more.

"Not to worry, child. I would trust Severus and Minerva with my life."

Sevti frowned. "I would have liked the chance to decide if I trusted them with mine. I doubt that you have any illusions about my family, and I sure don't. If my mission is found out, they _will _kill me."

Dumbledore drew back slightly, frowning. "I am sorry, Ms. Sheikh. I had not thought of it that way. I meant to put you in no danger. I take my duty to my students seriously. I can guarantee that your secret is safe with Minerva and Severus."

Sevti backed off. The damage was done. "Headmaster, I acknowledge that you had my best interests at heart, however I ask that you not take such liberties in the future." She smiled at him slightly.

Dumbledore smiled back. "So noted. Well then, back to my original question. Why stay in Gryffindor?"

"Gryffindor house is where Harry Potter is, as well as his new friend, Ronald Weasley. My mission is to protect the boy-who-lived, to befriend him. I am already in disgrace among purebloods because of the foolish mistake that I made while in my grandfather's presence. There isn't much else that could put me in lower standings."

Dumbledore nodded benignly. "I respect your decision. Are there any specific living arrangements that you need?"

"Yes, actually," Sevti replied. "I would like to request my own quarters so that I will not disturb the others with my odd hours. Also, I would like to ask if you have any type of exercise room, with weights and such."

"I will look into an exercise room. As to having personal quarters, I had expected such a request. Now that you have been sorted, a new section has been added to the Gryffindor dorms. It has an entrance that you can access from outside of the common room and from the Girl's section of the dorms."

Sevti smiled, "Thank you, Headmaster."

"Now, to discuss certain issues. I believe that it would be prudent to tell you that Professors Snape, McGonagall and myself are all aware of the existence of The Guardians."

Sevti's jaw dropped. No one had ever mentioned the secret so openly to her. The Guardians were an extremely secretive group due to the nature of what they did. They were the driving factor of the world. If they were ever eradicated, the world would be left in utter chaos.

"And how, pray tell, do you know about this group, if it even exists." Sevti said guardedly.

"Ah, Miss Sheikh, there is no need to worry," Dumbledore said. "We are aware of the group because we are part of it. However we are inactive members. We have been assigned a mission. That mission is similar to yours. Mine at first was the defeat of Grindewald, and then because of my notoriety because of his defeat, I was called on again to aid these two in the defeat of Voldemort during his first reign. Sadly, we were unsuccessful. And so we are still on our mission. Now you are our newest addition."

Sevti looked at the three and smiled. Not an innocent smile, as most would like to see, but a smile that was jaded. However, it was a true smile.

"Well then, that saves me a lot of explaining. But I have some things to take care of."

Dumbledore dropped most of the twinkle. "Of course Ms. Sheikh."

"First, if I'm gonna work with you, when it's just us four, call me Sev."

The Headmaster smiled, "Of course."

"I have a question to ask you, and a few things to tell you." Sevti started. "I'll begin with the question… why doesn't Harry Potter know about the magical world in full detail? He is of a pureblood line, and his guardians were to teach him of the customs, or at least raise him knowing that the magical world existed."

Dumbledore looked at her gravely. "I placed Harry in the care of his aunt and uncle for one reason. That reason was that Petunia, his aunt, was blood related to Lily and because of that blood bond any person that would have the intention of harming Harry Potter would not be able to enter the house's wards. However, they were not the best guardians in respect to the magical world. Petunia harbors a great resentment to those who use magic, but the child had to be kept safe. There were and are many Death Eaters that have been left unfound. Some had even been acquitted for their acts because they claimed to be under the imperious curse at the time."

Sevti nodded. "I see. Now that he is in the Magical World, will you be sending him back?"

"Yes." Dumbledore said gravely. "As long as he calls that house his home, he shall be protected by his mother's blood."

Sevti nodded. That made sense.

"All right then, Headmaster, I hope that you have thought well on what you are going to do."

"I have, child. Now, what was it that you had to tell us?"

"Well, I know that you will be angered by this, or at the least extremely concerned, but I ask you to wait for me to explain before jumping to conclusions." Sevti started warily.

The three professors nodded.

"Well, Lucius Malfoy and I have been in contact ever since Draco and I hit it off so well when we first met. Lucius was concerned about the lack of training in the Dark Arts in the Hogwarts curriculum. So, he asked me to teach Draco." Sevti noticed that all three professors were opening their mouths to speak. She held up one calm hand.

"Please, professors, let me explain. When I was in the American government, I had to be taught the Dark Arts to be able to defend myself against enemies with magic. I am also very well versed in battle magic. Lucius and my grandfather, of course, know of this. So, Lucius asked me to train Draco because I would see more of the boy then he would for the next couple of years.

"As you can probably tell, I was in a bit of a dilemma as to what to do. It would be too suspicious to flat out refuse, so I had to agree.

"I met Draco on the train today, and set up the beginnings of the plan that I had made to both turn him to the light and to keep Lucius happy. He agreed to making an unbreakable vow.

"The conditions were that he could speak of his lessons and what went on in them to nobody, that he would keep my secrets, and that he would take no teacher other than me without my express approval. I cannot say that I plan on teaching him nothing, but I sure as hell am not going to teach him to be a Death Eater. The boy will learn the Dark Arts like I did, knowing the balance between one controlling the Dark Arts and the Dark Arts controlling one."

She released the pent up air in her lungs after a moment's silence.

To her surprise, the professors were not visibly angry.

"Child, I do not believe I could have handled that situation better. I do not agree with the teaching of the Dark Arts in my school, but in this case I will make an exception."

Sevti smiled. "Thank you Headmaster. Do not worry about Draco. I will do everything I can to make sure he stays firmly on the side of the light."

The Headmaster nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"Not right now, sir."

"Please child, call me Albus when you can get away with it."

Sevti smiled. "Will do, sir… er, Albus."

The old wizard chuckled.

Then for the first time that night, excepting her introduction, Snape spoke up.

"Ms. Sheikh. I have known Lucius for some time now. If I may ask, did he say why he did not approach me for Draco's lessons? I am the boy's godfather."

Sevti looked at the man. "I do not know. I'll ask Lucius. I won't, of course, say that you asked the question."

The dark haired man nodded.

"If I may, Professor, how do you know Lucius?"

The man's looks darkened. "That is none of your business Ms. Sheikh." He snapped. Sevti decided not to be offended because she saw a barely noticeable spark of fear in his eyes when she asked the question. Obviously, though not obvious to anyone her herself, the man was keeping a secret. She trusted Dumbledore enough to know that he probably knew and would tell her when she needed to know.

She curbed her tongue. "I apologize. I did not know that my question was offensive."

The man nodded, not meeting her eyes directly.

"If that is all?" Dumbledore said, trying to diffuse the situation. "Then I suggest we retire for the night."

Sevti nodded and got up. She nodded to Dumbledore and the other professors and turned to go. Then she remembered something and turned her head quickly.

"Oh yeah, Iason told me to ask you where my common room was, and also what the password is. I'll probably need to be showed my quarters as well."

Dumbledore smiled. "I had forgotten. Severus…" the old wizard said, turning to the dark haired man. "If you could show Sev to Gryffindor tower and her quarters? She'll need to know all passwords and such. I would show her myself, or ask Minerva, except we have some start of term problems to discuss."

The Potions Master nodded. "Of course." He said cordially.

He turned to Sevti. "Follow me." He then proceeded to show Sevti where her living quarters were to be.

As they walked through the corridors, both were silent. Sevti truly didn't have anything to talk about with the man, and was still wary of him. She would need to find out more about him.

Snape, it seemed, was one of those people who constantly acted like they had a stick up their ass because he stalked through the halls with a deep scowl. They ran into a Hufflepuff third year on her way to meet her brother, who had just been sorted into a different house. Snape subtracted fifty points from Hufflepuff without a thought and sent the girl off close to tears.

Sevti frowned at this behavior. Fifty points was a bit much for simply wanting to see a sibling to make sure they were all right. She was sure that any other teacher would have let the girl off with a warning.

Finally, they reached a painting of a very fat lady. It appeared that she was asleep because she would periodically snore loudly enough to wake the dead. It was, of course, a magical portrait that could move. Snape sneered at the woman and turned to Sevti.

"The password is Caput Draconis." He said, his voice was curt as it had been when dealing with the Hufflepuff.

Sevti smiled and turned to the portrait. "How do I get in if she's sleeping?" she asked.

Snape sneered at her. "I would think that you would need to wake her up."

Sevti frowned at his tone, but let it pass, not in the mood to be riled by his behavior.

"Excuse me." She said tentatively. The portrait continued to snore. "Excuse me," she said a bit more loudly.

The portrait woke up with an undignified snort.

It looked at Sevti and the Potions Master and smiled. Snape's face remained emotionless. Sevti smiled back.

"Why hello dear. I take it you are the first year that Percy told me to expect. Do you have the password?"

Sevti smiled. "Yes. Caput Draconis."

"Well then, welcome to Gryffindor tower." The portrait said. It swung outwards, revealing an entrance into a circular room with a roaring fire and a bunch of comfortable looking chairs.

Sevti looked around the room. She sensed Snape follow her inside. The room was done in wood, red and gold. It was comfortable enough, if a little too bright.

"The Girl's dorms are through that door." Snape said, pointing in the door's direction. Your rooms should be trough the first door you encounter. You will need to set a password." She sensed the man's dislike of the room that he was in, and turned to study him.

A deep scowl was on his face, she was starting to wonder whether it was a permanent expression.

"And how would I set one?" she asked.

"Simply enough. There will be some sort of guardian at your door. It will ask you what you wish for the password to be. You will then select a password. The Headmaster will be informed of your choice in case of emergencies. You may tell whomever you want what your password is, though I would advise caution."

Sevti nodded and smiled. "Thank you, professor. Now, what about the location of the other entrance?"

The man nodded. "If you will follow me back out of the common room." He said.

He turned around and stalked back out of the rooms. Sevti followed a step behind him.

She memorized the halls that they walked through on the way to the other door to her quarters. She didn't question how the doors could be so far apart. The entire castle was built with magical space. A door in the lowest reaches could lead to the upper towers.

They finally arrived at a painting. It pictured a tall, lithe figure whose shoulder length dark hair hung around his face in loose waves. He had deep brown eyes and a warrior's muscles. A sword hung at his belt, the pommel was intricate and beautiful, yet it looked as it had seen much hard use. He eyed her with a fathomless stare. Yet the most startling part of his appearance was the pointed ears that were barely visible under his hair. This was an Elf.

"So, you are my new charge?" the Elf asked with a slight smile.

Sevti nodded with a matching smile. She felt a connection with the painting already.

"Interesting portrait," she said to Snape, who still stood beside her.

Snape looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "The guardian of your rooms chosen by Hogwarts herself. Usually, your guardian reflects your personality or something about yourself."

Sevti nodded, then looked at the Elf again. He barely moved from his position.

"I'll leave you to it." Snape said tightly.

Sevti was startled out of her thoughts. "Yes." She said, pulling away from her thoughts distractedly. "Thank you for your help, Professor."

The man nodded and walked away.

She turned back to the painting as he turned out of the hall.

"I take it you now understand why Lady Hogwarts chose me as your guardian?" the Elf asked. Contrary to the common depiction of the Elven race, this Elf had a deep, low voice.

Keeping in mind that the Headmaster would know what her choice was, and probably some of her friends, she chose a name from the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. "Estel." She thought it oddly fitting.

The Elf nodded and the painting along with the wall surrounding rolled upwards to reveal the entrance to her new quarters. She stepped in and the entrance closed behind her.

She took stock of her new living space. The entrance leaded directly into a small room with some hooks and a rack on the wall. Wood was the predominant material, covering the floor and the walls. Only the ceiling was left white. She smiled and removed her robes to hang them up and then removed her shoes and placed them on the rack. It seemed that the magic of the castle was attuned to what she needed and made her quarters to fit. She walked into the adjoining room. It was spacious and comfortable. The walls were of earthen tones and the chairs and sofa were of her favored black leather. The carpet beneath her feet was dark and midway between plush and hard.

There were four doors that led from the room. She opened the one on the far side of the room. It led to a large room with wooden walls and a plush tan carpet. There were light globes strategically placed throughout the room that flickered on as she stepped in. To the right was a bed pushed into the corner. It looked comfortable and was pretty big. There was also an oak dresser, desk, and night table. A large empty bookshelf took up one entire side of the room. A door in the corner opened to a spacious bathroom with a shower for when she was short on time and a rather large, interesting tub for when she wished to take a soak.

She smiled in approval.

She then backtracked out of what was obviously her bedroom and picked another of the four doors. She entered cautiously and the light globes again turned on as she stepped in. It was a large room with racks and cases for all sorts of weaponry. The room again had wooden walls and flooring. The Hogwarts crest was carved into the only wall that had no weapons holder. When they had corresponded by mail, Dumbledore had informed her that she was allowed all of her weapons as long as they were locked securely in her rooms. He had also said that she was allowed weapons on her person as long as they were hidden from sight and were charmed to reject any wielder but herself. She smiled when she saw the cases that she had sent to Hogwarts ahead of time in a corner. They had not been opened or tampered with. She decided to take care of putting up her equipment after she had finished exploring her new quarters.

The next room was empty. It had wooden walls and floors as well. On the inside of the door, "communications" was carved into the wood. Sevti immediately understood.

While she had been in the U.S., she had discovered a way to make muggle technology work in places with high magical concentrations, such as Hogwarts. This room was where she could set up her command center away from the U.S. capitol. She mentally made plans as to what would go where, eyeing the equipment that she had sent to Hogwarts in advance with her weapons.

The fourth and final room was made up entirely of glass on two sides, another feat of magical space that she would have to get used to seeing. She couldn't see through the windows at this time of night, so she turned to the remaining two walls. They were wooden, a theme that was constant throughout her quarters. The room had a very woodsy scent. She then gazed at the large willow in the corner of the room nearest the windows that seemed to grow straight out of the floor. A mat was under it, an obvious place for meditation. A small stream ran near the tree, seemingly starting and ending in a wall. It was a very relaxing place. In another corner of the room, this near one of the solid walls, there was a large practice area. Boxes of equipment were pile din the corner, ready to be set up. They contained her martial arts gear. She smiled in content when she closed the door while still in the room and suddenly grass was under her bare feet. The only place not covered in grass was her practice area, but that was made of hard packed dirt. All she could think was the word 'perfect'.

With the rare smile still on her face, she exited the room and once again found herself in the main sitting room. She found herself wishing that she could have a kitchen so that she might make her own food on the weekends. She jumped when suddenly the room extended, creating a kitchen before her eyes, complete with muggle appliances. Again, two of the walls were glass and a low partition separated the two rooms.

She quickly got over her surprise and walked into the room. She opened the fridge to find that it was already stocked with food. She removed an apple from where it sat, and immediately another took its place. When she replaced the apple without eating it, the apple that had appeared disappeared again. She smiled. No doubt the fridge was connected to the kitchens and was magically restocked.

As she surveyed the kitchen, she heard a soft hoot from her sitting room. She didn't bother with the opening in the partition, but vaulted over it. She saw that a perch complete with food tray and fresh water was in the corner of her room, along with her owl.

She smiled at the creature that she had named Kinoie. She called him Kin for short. He hooted again. After she checked that he was comfortable, she went around setting up all of her things, working late into the night. She rarely ever slept well, so she stayed up into the wee hours of the morning.

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A/N: Finally. The next chapter. I know that I took forever, but I finally got an outline type thing typed and got my muse back, sort of. So… heres to a quick update, but I make no promises. Fencing and all of my other activities cut into my time without mercy. That's why this update was so late. Oh, and lots of stupid assignments. Can't ever forget those.

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